Why Finland's Unorthodox Education System Is The Best In The Worldhttp://www.businessinsider.com/finlands-education-system-best-in-world-2012-11/comments
en-usWed, 31 Dec 1969 19:00:00 -0500Tue, 31 Mar 2015 17:06:11 -0400Adam Taylorhttp://www.businessinsider.com/c/50c69a61eab8ead53d000007george harrsMon, 10 Dec 2012 21:28:49 -0500http://www.businessinsider.com/c/50c69a61eab8ead53d000007
What percent of the population is of color? If 20% of each class was of color then would you expect the same results? Good stable homes play an important part of your results. It is good that there is at least one nation that has found the right way to educate their citizens.http://www.businessinsider.com/c/50c02b87ecad04385600000cSoutheasternAnglerThu, 06 Dec 2012 00:22:15 -0500http://www.businessinsider.com/c/50c02b87ecad04385600000c
Actually, they don't have a large immigrant population. The non-native born population is only 5% in Finland.http://www.businessinsider.com/c/50bcb72b6bb3f7eb30000002MialieMon, 03 Dec 2012 09:28:59 -0500http://www.businessinsider.com/c/50bcb72b6bb3f7eb30000002
Greetings from Finland! I am a mother of a 7 year old who just started school last fall I also have a 5 year old in kindergarten. Since I've never been to the USA I can't compare our school systems but I can tell you some facts.
First of all, every school is owned by the state and have the same studyplan from Rovaniemi to Hanko. Every teacher must have a masters degree so must the kindergarten teacher aswell. Religion is not mandatory eg my daughter never takes part in religious activities in school since we are atheists. The schoolday is 4 -5 hours long for a 7 & 8 year old. With gym, art, handicrafts and basic maths and other subjects. They do test our kids. Not in the standardised way yet but we parents are informed often about how our children are learning and every kid is taught according to their degree of knowledge. Eg my daughter knew how to read when school begun and had from the get go more challenges in her reading.
After 9 years in school you do not have to go to school anymore in Finland. Most people however do, still free of charge what can be compared to high school we have our own testing after three years there which is national standard testing. After finishing high school you can apply to university for a masters programme or to a University of applied science for a bachelors degree. Note that school is free of charge, all students get government support during their studies moneywise. Health care is totally free of charge. So money is not an issue for going to university, grades however are. A friend of mine became a lawyer recently and his parents have very poor education and a low income. So he could break free from his parents "class" with determination.
As parents, yes we push our kids in moderation. We value other things in our children aswell, me I wnat my kids to do the best they can. A top grade is not the main deal.
What we do lack here is some family values and mental health care. Many young kids fall of the grid after finishing basic education and become social outcasts, something these fancy PISA tests do not tell.
But yeah school is free here and it includes a free lunch. (Not on university level though).
I think we have our strengths and we have our weaknesses but in school class or socioeconomic background does not matter cause we are all equals here.http://www.businessinsider.com/c/50b902e0ecad04db4c000001tkaFri, 30 Nov 2012 14:02:56 -0500http://www.businessinsider.com/c/50b902e0ecad04db4c000001
Finnish kids get free meals every single schoolday, so that's the main reason Finland beats other countries in education. No junk food, but good healthy meals.http://www.businessinsider.com/c/50b86af5eab8ea903f000023Geelong CollegeFri, 30 Nov 2012 03:14:45 -0500http://www.businessinsider.com/c/50b86af5eab8ea903f000023
There must be a lot of reason of Finland education system top in the world..From a long time the country's school system has consistently come in at the top for the international rankings for education systems..http://www.businessinsider.com/c/50b798c66bb3f7040200000bMaría Eugenia SáezThu, 29 Nov 2012 12:17:58 -0500http://www.businessinsider.com/c/50b798c66bb3f7040200000b
they are a very small country, demographically, with a very HOMOGENOUS populationhttp://www.businessinsider.com/c/50b797b36bb3f70002000002mikej77Thu, 29 Nov 2012 12:13:23 -0500http://www.businessinsider.com/c/50b797b36bb3f70002000002
Well I welcome your disagreement but you are mischaracterizing my comments and recommendations based on direct observation as a student for 18 years and across numerous experiences since then.
I am not interested in blaming anyone. That is boring.
I am saying the current model reflects a factory system culture that began disappearing in the USA 50 years ago.
This function will be better done with more automation and fewer third rate school employees, teachers and administrators.
We have the experiences with many other industries and their teaching and training methods which began with TWI in the late 1930s and early 1940s.
We also see that quality can skyrocket when we remove people from the process to the highest degree practical.
60% reduction in employed is the first level in automation rising to 80% which might be the current optimum in most industries.
The remaining best teachers we who really are stars will be compensated accordingly though they might live in Bangalore and teach via Skype.
You are NOT being singled out and picked on.
Accounting, Financing, Engineering, Pharmacy, Doctors, Surgeons and Nurses among many others are all being automated and computerized.
Check out the DaVinci surgical robots who perform 1000s of surgeries a year or the Watson type Super Computers who are moving into top level positions in banking as 100,000s are permanently furloughed. The same process is under way in back office legal.
Teachers have to stop using children as human shields against a process that continues to sweep across the Globe.http://www.businessinsider.com/c/50b791d6ecad048815000001mikej77Thu, 29 Nov 2012 11:48:22 -0500http://www.businessinsider.com/c/50b791d6ecad048815000001
Almost all phone production in Finland was moved to Asia in 2011.http://www.businessinsider.com/c/50b790b1ecad04e00c00001eTim111Thu, 29 Nov 2012 11:43:29 -0500http://www.businessinsider.com/c/50b790b1ecad04e00c00001e
I disagree wholeheartedly with your prescription for the schools. I believe that teachers do have their students' best interests at heart, and that we need to think about how to emulate the Finnish model. You seek to place blame without addressing the root cause of the problem. There is often a passionate intensity among people to punish and blame others, rather than to work together.
Your strategy is one of slash-and-burn cuts to the teacher rolls, strong negative reinforcement, and disempowerment for teachers. This is the exact opposite of what we should be doing. You must remember that in order to change our educational system, a lot of people need to admit that they've been doing it wrong for a long time, or at the very least not doing it as well as they could have. Nobody needs to take the blame because it is a cultural issue that needs to be addressed holistically. We need to tell teachers that they don't need to be afraid of losing their jobs, so that they can embrace changes rather than oppose them out of fear. The change should be somewhat gradual, and focus on retraining current teachers, while at the same time recruiting top talent to replace retiring teachers.
Teacher pay should be high enough to attract the top students, and should be on par with compensation for accountants, financial analysts, engineers, pharmacists, physicians assistants, and nurse practitioners.http://www.businessinsider.com/c/50b76a0e69bedd6157000003ZacfThu, 29 Nov 2012 08:58:38 -0500http://www.businessinsider.com/c/50b76a0e69bedd6157000003
Finland is not Scandanavian. It's Nordic (along w/ Sweden and Norway). Scandinavia includes Sweden, and Norway and Denmark. Some people throw in Iceland since the distinction is linguistic and cultural.
Just saying.http://www.businessinsider.com/c/50b71eb96bb3f7cf15000016MacaroniGuyThu, 29 Nov 2012 03:37:13 -0500http://www.businessinsider.com/c/50b71eb96bb3f7cf15000016
There's a mixed bag here. Like commentors have already pointed out: there's alot of dreamy-eyed, cloudy-headed fluff, nothing of substance in the presentation, nothing to backup the implications or assumptions, and the clear likelihood that we are comparing apples to carburetors.
Being a teacher, but being anti-union and seeing most of my colleagues as 20watt dimwits, I can tell you first hand: it is GOOD to pick from among the best graduates, require master's degrees in the field the teacher is teaching, have small class sizes, have a culture that puts teachers on a pedestal, etc. -- But the 'no pressure,' 'no judgment,' no standardized testing and no merit pay IS ONLY GOING TO PRODUCE DUMMIES. So, clearly, there is more to the story than meets the eye. As someone indicated already, probably the parents are doing the pushing and judging and comparing, so the teachers don't have to.
Final word: I'd bet dollars to donuts that an average Singaporean kid would beat the pants off of the smartest of the Finns. I smell some kind of national fudging of the metrics going on here. -- In the real world, hard work pays off; no one gets something for nothing. -- If you are a parent in the US, GET YOUR KID OUT OF SCHOOL AND HOMESCHOOL THEM.http://www.businessinsider.com/c/50b6fea4ecad04cf78000005SophieThu, 29 Nov 2012 01:20:20 -0500http://www.businessinsider.com/c/50b6fea4ecad04cf78000005
The stupid comments by my fellow Americans are embarrassing though not surprising. It shows the clear ignorance and lack of knowledge Americans wallow in about the rest of the world. Even what Americans *think* they know about other countries and history are woefully simplistic, naive and outdated.http://www.businessinsider.com/c/50b6f80f69bedd7540000003PatrickThu, 29 Nov 2012 00:52:15 -0500http://www.businessinsider.com/c/50b6f80f69bedd7540000003
Actually Finland was one of the main drivers of the mobile telephone revolution which has forever changed the world -where do you think Nokia comes from? Maybe you don't know any Finnish entrepreneurs because the US/ English media doesn't report them and the Fins value group achievement over individual accolades.
And by your logic of rating countries according to achievements in space then communist Russia is at least equal to the US: First to send a man into space, first man into orbit the earth, second to land on the moon!http://www.businessinsider.com/c/50b6de806bb3f73924000007dwinfield10Wed, 28 Nov 2012 23:03:12 -0500http://www.businessinsider.com/c/50b6de806bb3f73924000007
I see a lot of comments attempting to challenge the article. Why? Finland is obviously succeeding where we are not. There's something to learn there. Further, some hold up the economic success of the USA as the proof that Finland must not be that great at educating their population. This isn't an accurate comparison. A more serious embrace of a capitalistic economic system is the reason the USA has been successful when compared to other countries. Over the last 50 years other countries, too, have been embracing capitalistic policies in their economic systems so competition is becoming stiff....we should review what Finland is doing and adopting those things that we think can help us.http://www.businessinsider.com/c/50b6c687eab8ea521c000012Binky BearWed, 28 Nov 2012 21:20:55 -0500http://www.businessinsider.com/c/50b6c687eab8ea521c000012
maybe the fact that they don't tolerate the exploitation of some groups, designate some groups to be permanent underclass or serfs, and don't feel like forcing parents back in the workforce to make ends meet so the state raises your child is a positive thing we should be emulating instead of rah rahing our national shame-classism, racism, and economic exploitation of the vast majority of Americans by a plutocratic inherited wealth oligarchy and its obsequious knee-pad wearing adherents.http://www.businessinsider.com/c/50b69aa56bb3f7b62200001emikej77Wed, 28 Nov 2012 18:13:41 -0500http://www.businessinsider.com/c/50b69aa56bb3f7b62200001e
I agree it is not clear how technology might be applied but we might get over to South Korea and catch up with them.
Main point is we are risking nothing at this point as our schools are delivering very poor results. This is partly due to poor parents, terrible popular culture and so forth so we are in the position now to take some serious risks.
I have visited elementary schools daily for years and they look just like the schools I attended in the 1960s. It is the same construction paper and crayon stuff we had then. It is about the only place that seems to have need dozing for the past 50 years.
There are computers on the staff desks primarily used as typewriters.
I speak with recent college graduates who seem to know little or nothing in their majors. Their overall views are simple pop culture mashups featuring a nearly magical worldview.
They are completely unprepared for any sort of life or work beyond "living social" usually on drugs and it shows.
Please start somewhere other than request smaller classes, more hiring and increases to already hefty budgets.
At the minimum test all teachers annually for competence and release the poorest 10% regardless of seniority and bring on younger more able people.
Some teachers ARE great so we eventually wind up with about 20% of the current staffing. All the rest have to go.http://www.businessinsider.com/c/50b691e46bb3f78d11000005Tim111Wed, 28 Nov 2012 17:36:20 -0500http://www.businessinsider.com/c/50b691e46bb3f78d11000005
Norway is 6th in the world by GDP per capita because of its petroleum resources in the North sea. It is even more impressive that Finland has better educational outcomes because they do not start with the advantage of incredible wealth from natural resources.
They're ranked 5th in the world by petroleum production per capita, right between the United Arab Emirates at #4 and Brunei at #6.
<a href="http://www.nationmaster.com/graph/ene_oil_pro_percap-energy-oil-production-per-capita" target="_blank" rel="nofollow" >http://www.nationmaster.com/graph/ene_oil_pro_percap-energy-oil-production-per-capita</a>http://www.businessinsider.com/c/50b6909769bedd8147000001JeramieH3Wed, 28 Nov 2012 17:30:47 -0500http://www.businessinsider.com/c/50b6909769bedd8147000001
Not everything is a competition.http://www.businessinsider.com/c/50b6900369bedd0744000006JeramieH3Wed, 28 Nov 2012 17:28:19 -0500http://www.businessinsider.com/c/50b6900369bedd0744000006
Unfortunately, the real world requires an adequate supply of people educated in less-than-interesting topics to function.http://www.businessinsider.com/c/50b68f28eab8eae124000005Tim111Wed, 28 Nov 2012 17:24:40 -0500http://www.businessinsider.com/c/50b68f28eab8eae124000005
Khan Academy style instruction may be useful for certain types of learning, or for certain subjects, but it can't replace small class sizes and personal attention.
Online classes are more appropriate for college-level education, where one of the goals should be to teach yourself the material and to figure out how to use external resources. I think that this will remain true for the time being, it's not clear how early, how much, and what type of technology should be leveraged to help younger students learn.http://www.businessinsider.com/c/50b6707deab8ea435e000008ieducateWed, 28 Nov 2012 15:13:49 -0500http://www.businessinsider.com/c/50b6707deab8ea435e000008
What material do you deem important for a current student to know? The importance for high order thinking, deep knowledge, transferable skills and conceptual understanding are the principles to education for the 21st century. Testing, scores and content knowledge play little part in preparing students for a future that is unknown. Knowing how and why students learn is far more useful for a teacher than a fact base. My understanding of how students learn developmentally, preferred styles of learning, how to design curriculum, allow me to teach students how to learn, not what to learn. At the end of the day, knowing how to find out for yourself is far more useful than an head full of content knowledge with no ability to do anything with it.http://www.businessinsider.com/c/50b65f8b69bedd204a000001InalienableWrightsWed, 28 Nov 2012 14:01:31 -0500http://www.businessinsider.com/c/50b65f8b69bedd204a000001
Are you even using the right metrics to come to this conclusion?
Are Finns taught how to think and reason or are they taught how to make a living?
The former used to be the goal of education and it not taught in any nations schools as far as I know.http://www.businessinsider.com/c/50b65c0b69bedd923a000011PaveWed, 28 Nov 2012 13:46:35 -0500http://www.businessinsider.com/c/50b65c0b69bedd923a000011
Perhaps you've heard about Linus Torvalds (Linux, Android) :)http://www.businessinsider.com/c/50b65a7becad04fa46000027gusandrewsWed, 28 Nov 2012 13:39:55 -0500http://www.businessinsider.com/c/50b65a7becad04fa46000027
This slideshow could reeeeeally have done with some explanation of WHY Finland has made these decisions and what the ramifications are. As someone who did grad school in education, a lot of these decisions make sense to me, but I imagine some of them mystify people from outside of education. Cmon, Business Insider, I know slideshows are good for traffic, but meaningful content is good for reader loyalty!http://www.businessinsider.com/c/50b6525669beddb922000013mikej77Wed, 28 Nov 2012 13:05:10 -0500http://www.businessinsider.com/c/50b6525669beddb922000013
This is so good. Tech will help you when you hit a hard point. Check resources like Khan Academy and youtube suppliers like "minutephysics' (?) and if you are curious about just what is CNC machining check youtube searching that topic.
Everyone forgets formulas like the volume of a ball is? (sphere).
Excellent excellent presentations on TED. Likely you know this just keep in mind you are not alone just ahead ;-)http://www.businessinsider.com/c/50b64fd36bb3f71314000018Old DavidWed, 28 Nov 2012 12:54:27 -0500http://www.businessinsider.com/c/50b64fd36bb3f71314000018
Every picture shows nothing but white faces. How many minorities with single parents living in poverty do they have? How many of their politicians constantly berate teachers, while cutting funds? This is a big example of comparing apples to oranges.http://www.businessinsider.com/c/50b63eabecad04dc11000009GaryRWed, 28 Nov 2012 11:41:15 -0500http://www.businessinsider.com/c/50b63eabecad04dc11000009
Finlands teachers are selected from the top of the class.... and US teachers often come from the bottom third or worse.... yet we spend way more than they do.... wanna know why?
Because we spend whopping amounts of cash on bureaucrats who add nothing to the classroom.... the problem is not the teachers, but the administrators who hoard all of the cash in the system.comment...
Because much of the money in the system goes to these educrats, teacher pay is lower.... and merit pay is prevented by the unions.... so of course the applicants for lower paying jobs are of lower quality.http://www.businessinsider.com/c/50b63c63ecad04200d000021marcolWed, 28 Nov 2012 11:31:31 -0500http://www.businessinsider.com/c/50b63c63ecad04200d000021
Is the 'best average' with a 'fat middle' really the best for an economy? What if most of your innovations happen by the at the very top (top 1-2% of scores)? My guess is that the top 1-2% in the US scores higher in the US than Finland (or most other countries). Also, of what importance is creative and lateral thinking to innovation (my guess is high), but to the best of my knowledge none of these things is measured in standardized testing (even though they could be pretty easily).
It seems foolish to strive to achieve better 'average scores' if you don't know whether that will have a material impact on the welfare of those pupils or an economy (is bringing the top down worth the 'price' of bringing up the bottom?). Perhaps we should spend more time thinking about what we're trying to achieve and the best way to measure it ... instead of simply choosing an easy to measure and compare metric that may lead you to worse outcomes.http://www.businessinsider.com/c/50b62b75eab8ea103b000002Carolyn VanZorgeWed, 28 Nov 2012 10:19:17 -0500http://www.businessinsider.com/c/50b62b75eab8ea103b000002
early childhood education is ONLY CRITICAL with those children from inadequate homes ....... ONLYhttp://www.businessinsider.com/c/50b6257decad04ca61000007Alicia KayeWed, 28 Nov 2012 09:53:49 -0500http://www.businessinsider.com/c/50b6257decad04ca61000007
Thank you Mike. I am the first in my family to ever go to college and get a professional career. My parents and grandparents never had to go to college. My mom never even finished 7th grade! The problem with this has been they are finding it harder and harder to obtain jobs which offer benefits and retirement. They are being pushed out of jobs which now require a degree.
It used to be a standard bachelor's degree was what put you apart from the rest and then it moved to a master's but now, well, even if you have a master's or Ph.D in something it doesn't guarantee you a job. I saw this train wreck coming and that's why I've chosen this path. It is not easy. Sometimes I'm learning right along with my children, especially when it comes to technology. But, it is well worth the effort and aggravation I feel sometimes to know they are getting a fantastic education and will be far ahead of their peers when the time comes.
It's good to see a voice of reason on here. Sometimes I feel like I'm talking to a brick wall when I explain why I chose to educate my children at home.http://www.businessinsider.com/c/50b621bceab8ea6b20000008PeggyWed, 28 Nov 2012 09:37:48 -0500http://www.businessinsider.com/c/50b621bceab8ea6b20000008
Add a comment...http://www.businessinsider.com/c/50b620adecad04d85800000dmikej77Wed, 28 Nov 2012 09:33:17 -0500http://www.businessinsider.com/c/50b620adecad04d85800000d
You are underlining an important point. Many people desire to drop their kids off as soon as they can star breathing on their own and I do mean directly from infancy to those who will simply warehouse them.
The raising of the child is expected to be entirely the responsibility of an indifferent State including provision of compliant enthusiastic servers.
One should visit such "baby dens" and meet who run them. They are not bad people as such but the very young are raised like turnips left to grow themselves . Thanks for reminding us of this.http://www.businessinsider.com/c/50b5d14d6bb3f7011b000011snedlyWed, 28 Nov 2012 03:54:37 -0500http://www.businessinsider.com/c/50b5d14d6bb3f7011b000011
Nobody posting here has picked up on what I consider the most important thing. Kids don't start school until they are 7. In the US we have them in school as early as 2. Many are of the persuasion that 3 is about right. These kids are barely out of the womb and we shove them into a classroom full of people, sights, and sounds they barely comprehend. A sterile environment instead of loving nuturing environment that these kids need. Studies in the past had shown that kids starting later did better emotionally and academically. But they buried these studies because the ignorant intellectuals making policy don't have a clue and think it's never too early to get in the classroom. Recent studies they haven't buried have shown that any advantage of the early starters over the later ones is gone by the age of 7. One wonders how many of the dropouts, not including the those who are guaranteed to drop out because they don't believe in education, are those who were pushed into school at too early an age.http://www.businessinsider.com/c/50b5bb84ecad04a31b000004KuulapaaWed, 28 Nov 2012 02:21:40 -0500http://www.businessinsider.com/c/50b5bb84ecad04a31b000004
The best explanation (?) for the good results is the Finnish language, logical while rich in nuances. It takes considerably less time to learn to read and write as compared to English.
The Swedish schools in Finland (despite their same curricula and higher financing) only reach the level of schools in Sweden.http://www.businessinsider.com/c/50b5bb1c6bb3f7477b000003JonathanWed, 28 Nov 2012 02:19:56 -0500http://www.businessinsider.com/c/50b5bb1c6bb3f7477b000003
That was just so wrong :D
The tax rate in Finland for someone getting 30k$/yr is below 15% - 20%. You don't need any online reports for your vague research. Just ask anyone who's working there like I did.http://www.businessinsider.com/c/50b5af326bb3f78c65000006gergamesWed, 28 Nov 2012 01:29:06 -0500http://www.businessinsider.com/c/50b5af326bb3f78c65000006
OK, lets start them @ $29K, 4 hours classroom, 3 hours janitors, saves us money. When Finland cares to take in 40 million blacks, & 50 million hispanics, lets see what happens to their schools, test scores, & graduation rates. You might check their taxes? income tax is 6.5% under $23K to 30% over $62K. SS 2.12%, pension tax 18.3%, unemployment tax 3.2%. There municipal taxes average 19.17%. They have a VAT (value added tax) of 23% on good, 13% on food & resturants, & 9% on transport & accommodations. They pay 4.7% penson fees on gross income. Property taxes vary, but are basicly low. They even have a parrish tax of 1 to 2% of gross income to churches. SO....a teacher making $29K, pays 17.5% + 2.12% + 18.3% + 19.17% + 3.2% + 4.7% + 2% = 66.99%, or $19,471.98...leaving them $9,528.02 of their $29K. THEN remember... they still have that VAT tax!http://www.businessinsider.com/c/50b5a7b76bb3f77d52000018HoneybWed, 28 Nov 2012 00:57:11 -0500http://www.businessinsider.com/c/50b5a7b76bb3f77d52000018
Finland has a large number of unions.http://www.businessinsider.com/c/50b5a4b169bedd557100000ePaul AndrewsWed, 28 Nov 2012 00:44:17 -0500http://www.businessinsider.com/c/50b5a4b169bedd557100000e
This article paints an overly rosy view of Finland, as many have come to expect from the left-leaning Business Insider. For a more realistic picture see <a href="http://www.theaustralian.com.au/opinion/finnish-education-isnt-all-its-cracked-up-to-be/story-e6frg6zo-1226487687707" target="_blank" rel="nofollow" >http://www.theaustralian.com.au/opinion/finnish-education-isnt-all-its-cracked-up-to-be/story-e6frg6zo-1226487687707</a>http://www.businessinsider.com/c/50b5a31f69beddb16e00000dmikej77Wed, 28 Nov 2012 00:37:35 -0500http://www.businessinsider.com/c/50b5a31f69beddb16e00000d
Also please see Alicia Kaye's posts on this story.http://www.businessinsider.com/c/50b5a1e96bb3f75b4700000cmikej77Wed, 28 Nov 2012 00:32:25 -0500http://www.businessinsider.com/c/50b5a1e96bb3f75b4700000c
This is the best and most encouraging post I have ever read on BI or almost anywhere!
This is the kind of incisive thinking this era demands or you and your family face the great risk of being pulled under.
Only 58% of working age adults in the USA remain significantly employed in 2012.
Absolutely great to see you responding, acting and insisting that your children make the cut to achieve a meaningful professional life!
Certainly your self investment in your own life and the lives of your loved ones and the clarity of your thought approach the outlook driven by both necessity and ideal.
No one has chosen this social outcome but it has to be dealt with according to the circumstances we face and the "Real Rules" as they are actually applied in the time that we live.
Life is uncertain as we know but may every uncertainty be resolve in your favor. Thanks, so much for your attention.http://www.businessinsider.com/c/50b59eabecad042762000010mikej77Wed, 28 Nov 2012 00:18:35 -0500http://www.businessinsider.com/c/50b59eabecad042762000010
Thanks for the thoughtful reply.
Now Singapore is a very good example of a possible future City-State and I am a real admirer of Mr. Lee Quan Yew and his successors.
We can install that model here anytime though, again, it does not seem likely to be accepted without some sort of authoritarian approach.
My basic point is that no matter how any Culture might interest us we have to recognize that if the Culture, no matter how attractive, fails to reproduce the carriers of that culture simply disappear.
In the past many peoples have disappeared often by war, disease and famine.
For the first time we see entire peoples simply voting themselves out of existence by choice and amid unparalleled abundance and security as well.
This is true for the entire greater european area including Russia, Ukraine etc.
The average age rises higher and higher until the society loses most of its dynamism and the handful of surviving children spend a great deal of effort simply engaged in elder care.
If Finlanders were producing 2.1 children per woman then at least they might survive this century without being dispersed and their model in every area might be commended. If their Culture becomes a small remnant or evaporates entirely what is the point they are making? Is it extinction with style, perhaps?
In any case most compensated employment will be automated as most draw a salary as a resident of some jurisdiction or another.
Mass education will be an idiosyncratic pursuit for 60-80% of the population.
Only computers can process the amount of data we generate now of find any patterns in it and they will simulate and design such things as new drugs and much new design. They are the real devoted students of Humanity and our successors. They will even provide the plans to redesign us, remove deleterious accumulated genetic mutations and so on.
It is the the decline and fall of mass education other than through the Cybersphere.
With massive unemployment one parent will almost always be available for real living.http://www.businessinsider.com/c/50b59ba4ecad04715900001fAlicia KayeWed, 28 Nov 2012 00:05:40 -0500http://www.businessinsider.com/c/50b59ba4ecad04715900001f
This is exactly why I chose to homeschool my children. Working as a teacher has opened my eyes to what we really care about here in the US. I would not want my children to go through a school system full of mediocre education and an ever changing curriculum, (to the detriment of the child and the educational environment) due to political sways and administrative biases. I want my children to learn about the advantages of critical thinking and having the skills necessary to actually be an adult. When I was growing up we had to take classes in home economics, learned to budget check books and how to be contributing citizens. That is really no longer the case. They teach to the core standards of testing and that is it. The arts have been cut out of many school systems (certainly in NYC where I am teaching) and the constant threat to jobs and activities is overwhelming. Every year (even several times a year) it is all about budget. Last one hired, first one fired. Forget about merit or ability. Our unions are such cowards teachers have no backing or stability. Keep the bad teachers if they are tenured and get rid of the high quality teachers because they haven't been working as long. The art teacher from a neighboring school was just told she had to start teaching math and could only teach art one day a week. If she chose not to teach math she could look for another job. Nevermind she wasn't fluent in math concepts or teaching math to students. Just "wing it" she was told. Sounds like a high quaity education for sure! When everyone is special, no one is special but I want my kids to be part of that top 20% so there is never a question as to where they fall on the candidate assessment profile. There is a reason ivy league schools are starting to reserve up to 30% of yearly admissions for home educated students. It is clearly not the solution for all parents and their children. BUT I'll make the sacrifices for the 17 years it takes to make sure that my kids are strongly in the top 1% of admissions. Luckily, NY has some of the highest standards for homeschooling in the country and they are relentless when it comes to making sure children are getting the proper education at home. Too bad they can't transfer those same standards to the public schooling system.http://www.businessinsider.com/c/50b5982deab8eafd73000017mikej77Tue, 27 Nov 2012 23:50:53 -0500http://www.businessinsider.com/c/50b5982deab8eafd73000017
We are rapidly automating all current work functions in society so there are already 42% of all working age adults in the USA permanently furloughed from employment along with 68 million retired.
As time passes the number of two parent working families must decline so there are lots of people in your community already that you can call on through networking. You will know many laid off teachers, bankers, designers .... most musicians and other artists rarely make a go of it commercially so there is abundant talent.
Naturally little children will not be left home alone to start fires by responsible parents.
The chances that your children will be employed is no more than 50/50 at this point so why continue to invest trillions in preparing people for non existent jobs?
Examine your own employment and determine if it would be done better by a machine or best not done at all.http://www.businessinsider.com/c/50b597e2ecad04e954000034Alicia KayeTue, 27 Nov 2012 23:49:38 -0500http://www.businessinsider.com/c/50b597e2ecad04e954000034
Add a comment..Not sure where you were going with this. My comment was to the fact that so many people feel that the EU countries are far behind in technology and innovation when, in fact, it is the westernized societies who are lacking in any sort of developmental contributions to soceity.. If you want to see interesting educational strides look into Singapore math and cultural influences on innovation and creativity. That is a true sign. In other countries they stress the arts and creative thinking in combination (interdisciplinary studies) with other subjects and allow for creative and critical thinking first. We are concerned with the final product, not with the means to which we get to that product, including innovations and discoveries which may have been found along the way! This is especially true in medicine. India has a much more advanced system of medical study than we do but we implement fewer discoveries in the medical field than nearly any other country. Let's not get started on a political debate here about socialized medicine, this is not where I am going. I am talking about pure scientific advancements for the sake of science.
Apparently population decline has either been a test of Darwinian theory in these countries (leaving the brightest and most brilliant) or we just have a higher concentration of middle of the road average Joe's compared to these EU coutries which produce more Nobel winners than anywhere else in the world.http://www.businessinsider.com/c/50b594aa69bedd3852000006mikej77Tue, 27 Nov 2012 23:35:54 -0500http://www.businessinsider.com/c/50b594aa69bedd3852000006
Yes, schools tend to accumulate all the anomic coffee shop revolutionaries as well who do all they can to instill their disintegrating ethos in the young. They then graduate large numbers of disoriented people advocating the views of their rootless drifting instructors.
We replace all the math "teachers" with the Khan Academy.http://www.businessinsider.com/c/50b593cceab8ea246a00000bmikej77Tue, 27 Nov 2012 23:32:12 -0500http://www.businessinsider.com/c/50b593cceab8ea246a00000b
You can see that the manufacturing is moving to complete automation whether it is outsourced or not. You see weekly reports indicating that vehicle driving is moving to full automation whether it is on the highways, in the skies, on or under the sea and in Outer Space.
We no longer need the factory model training children to the clock and mass conformity so they can be recruited as labor feeds for mass industry and mass military applications.
The schools are simply obsolete.
Naturally the parents will be moved to invest a great deal in their children's education before age 8 where they see potential.
Most will be unemployed or marginally and temporarily employed for life.
Now is the time to form some community among those parents who have a pressing interest is finding solutions.
We are looking to recruit the top 20% as that is all the human staffing we require and we need to identify these candidates by assessment in an online environment.
You yourself may very well have no fulltime work so you can provide the needed loving supportive environment or rely on your extended family.
Why push the lesser talented through years of schooling in preparation for jobs which will not exist? Look at the disappointment now as the higher education bubble bursts.
This is not a temporary recession - labor participation is only 58% of US adult working age population at ANY job including Lawyer/Servers and Lawyer/Gardeners.
What was the point in paying to force the 42% who live at leisure to attend schools for up to 18 or more years ?http://www.businessinsider.com/c/50b590db6bb3f77c2d00000cJennifer Weisbart-MorenoTue, 27 Nov 2012 23:19:39 -0500http://www.businessinsider.com/c/50b590db6bb3f77c2d00000c
The culture of failure amongst our minority groups and lower income population is much more reinforced by our government and society's attitude than by the teachers union system. National Education Association is made of teachers who want to see their students successfully learn. Currently our government and society are strongly stating that teachers are fully responsible for our students' learning; no responsibility on students, their parents, nor our media system. The parents' attitude, school environment, and community environment as a whole makes such a difference on students' attitudes.http://www.businessinsider.com/c/50b58cf569beddd83b000008mikej77Tue, 27 Nov 2012 23:03:01 -0500http://www.businessinsider.com/c/50b58cf569beddd83b000008
I liked your post so looked more closely.
5 million people?
Finns are a very rapidly aging society with a mean age of 43 years.
The Total Fertility Rate is 1.7 which is very close to irreversible population decline. Each week there are fewer and fewer Finns and eventually they will disappear as a tiny dot in a world with 10,000 million citizens.
And as other posters have noted this is an almost completely homogenous society almost entirely ethnic Finn and a few Swedes and Sami.
Most Euro societies are close to or past irreversible decline in population. These mini countries are too vastly different from the USA to really learn to much.http://www.businessinsider.com/c/50b586b3ecad049e3400000bCathleen KellyTue, 27 Nov 2012 22:36:19 -0500http://www.businessinsider.com/c/50b586b3ecad049e3400000b
That's going to work FABULOUSLY for the tiny percentage of American children who live in families where both parents don't need to work. Otherwise, it'll result in a lot of house fires, dead children and jailed parents.http://www.businessinsider.com/c/50b5807e6bb3f7f60e000001C.J.Tue, 27 Nov 2012 22:09:50 -0500http://www.businessinsider.com/c/50b5807e6bb3f7f60e000001
It is silly to draw ANY comparison between Finaldn and the U.S.
According to the World Almanac & Book of Facts, Finns comprise 93% of the pop., with Swedes accointing for the remainder. Also, 83% of Finns are members of the Finnish Lutheran Church.
Bottom Line - Finalnd has done a great job of keeping foreigners out. Is the author suggesting we follow that course?
To suggest that America can learn something from a "Finnish" model [or Chinese (92%) or Japanese (99%)] is typical jouranlistic nonsense.http://www.businessinsider.com/c/50b575ceeab8eae11f0000148earTue, 27 Nov 2012 21:24:14 -0500http://www.businessinsider.com/c/50b575ceeab8eae11f000014
Just to be factual, Steve Jobs and Bill Gates went to college and never finished. They do not have degrees. Formal education is not everything.
I'm sure Finland has less diversity and greater standard educational success because of a shared culture and vision that reduces conflict and environmental noise. You probably would not get many Steve Jobs and Bill Gates in Finland because their socialist country is built for consistent, shared comfort and would probably not appreciate extreme success that Steve Jobs and Bill Gates achieved.
You can't compare Finland and the US. The US has the top colleges even if 50% of our population is not that academically smart. Those who want to be successful can pursue a traditional academic route like Warren Buffet and the Google founders or an unorthodox route like Steve Jobs and Bill Gates. I doubt Steve Jobs and Bill Gates would rise like a phoenix in Finland.
Just my two cents. I have a bachelor's degree in Information Systems from a US state school just to lay my cards on the table.http://www.businessinsider.com/c/50b5734769beddcb79000003Cathleen KellyTue, 27 Nov 2012 21:13:27 -0500http://www.businessinsider.com/c/50b5734769beddcb79000003
6) State supported, first class day care where kids learn to socialize with one another so parents with jobs don't need to use the school system as a baby sitting service before most kids are ready to tackle academics.http://www.businessinsider.com/c/50b5721fecad04420b00000eBobbobTue, 27 Nov 2012 21:08:31 -0500http://www.businessinsider.com/c/50b5721fecad04420b00000e
Oops, meant this in reply to mikej77 on Nov 27, 11:27 AMhttp://www.businessinsider.com/c/50b571b46bb3f7136f000001BobbobTue, 27 Nov 2012 21:06:44 -0500http://www.businessinsider.com/c/50b571b46bb3f7136f000001
Not in elementary school we won't. Too many people think that students of any age can match the level of self-discipline and motivation that is (hopefully) shown by adults at college. If you think sticking an 8-yr old in front of a computer all day is going to deliver results you may as well cross your fingers for luck too.http://www.businessinsider.com/c/50b56890ecad04697600000fGimletTue, 27 Nov 2012 20:27:44 -0500http://www.businessinsider.com/c/50b56890ecad04697600000f
Interesting comparison of economies of Finland and Norway.
<a href="http://www.wolframalpha.com/input/?i=Compare+economies+of+Finland+and+Norway" target="_blank" rel="nofollow" >http://www.wolframalpha.com/input/?i=Compare+economies+of+Finland+and+Norway</a>http://www.businessinsider.com/c/50b560abeab8eabf71000011goosh69Tue, 27 Nov 2012 19:54:03 -0500http://www.businessinsider.com/c/50b560abeab8eabf71000011
So you are saying Norwegiens and Germans naturally have genetically low IQs? Since they tend to score around where the US does. And that Canadians and New Zealanders and Australians are GENETICALLY superior to Americans because these other immigrant nations do better on such tests than the US? That seems to be what you are saying.http://www.businessinsider.com/c/50b55eeeecad044d69000015Juan OspinaTue, 27 Nov 2012 19:46:38 -0500http://www.businessinsider.com/c/50b55eeeecad044d69000015
I agree completely. I never went to school until I was 10, and didn´t know the language then.....I consider that my education focused on what is really important, which is learning HOW TO THINKhttp://www.businessinsider.com/c/50b559746bb3f7193b000021XenophonTue, 27 Nov 2012 19:23:16 -0500http://www.businessinsider.com/c/50b559746bb3f7193b000021
Yeah, good one. "Rexican" needed to be called out on his bullshit. I don't think he has any idea what he is talking about. Thanks for producing the relevant stats.http://www.businessinsider.com/c/50b54f4aecad04ad4a000049MaireTue, 27 Nov 2012 18:39:54 -0500http://www.businessinsider.com/c/50b54f4aecad04ad4a000049
Where is this "large number of immigrants"? According to Index Mundi, Finland is 93.4% ethnic Finn with Swedish minority of 5% and a net migration rate of .62/1000. If that's diverse than North Dakota is New York City.http://www.businessinsider.com/c/50b54c0e69bedde81c000001MaireTue, 27 Nov 2012 18:26:06 -0500http://www.businessinsider.com/c/50b54c0e69bedde81c000001
There's no doubt the U.S. and others could adopt some of Finland's educational reforms successfully. That said let's not forget that America is burdened down with lot of politically sensitive structural problems and general bullsh*t that Finland (and most other European countries) has never had to worry about. Oh, but what about Norway, the last slide says. Well that only suggests the extent to which the methodology is effective. It does not disqualify demographics as a factor of success. If Norway followed Finland's educational path but still had U.S. test score levels, that would be another story.http://www.businessinsider.com/c/50b54c0eecad04e54300001fSchmidtTue, 27 Nov 2012 18:26:06 -0500http://www.businessinsider.com/c/50b54c0eecad04e54300001f
"1) Pick your teachers from the top end of the pool." - I guess that (and not starting school before 7) are the most important points.
In Germany, for example, people go to college to get a teacher's license who actually don't know what to do with their lives. Teachers are among the least motivated individuals in Germany. Just imagine their corrupting impact on the kids.http://www.businessinsider.com/c/50b5484beab8eac33c000012unionrepTue, 27 Nov 2012 18:10:03 -0500http://www.businessinsider.com/c/50b5484beab8eac33c000012
The article you reference doesn't say exactly what the union does or in what way they yield their mighty power. It does make it sound like they are interested in the kids' educations first, which I'm not sure is the case in the U.S. I'm also not clear on why public workers need a union in a socialized utopia like Finland.http://www.businessinsider.com/c/50b545d36bb3f72e1c000005Jaakko ToivanenTue, 27 Nov 2012 17:59:31 -0500http://www.businessinsider.com/c/50b545d36bb3f72e1c000005
The first three "points" are not true. I have received education in both Finnish and American based school system and the level of education, the amount of homework and test was pretty much the same and all subjects were graded right from the first grade and you were labeled by the students and teacher if you did well or poorly.http://www.businessinsider.com/c/50b537656bb3f7ff7f00000aJescamilloTue, 27 Nov 2012 16:57:57 -0500http://www.businessinsider.com/c/50b537656bb3f7ff7f00000a
But that's because the Finns have high IQ's.
Some ethnic groups have higher IQs than others, same as some ethnic groups (Masai, for instance), have higher height than others (Pygmies, for example.)
When you start with higher quality brains, you are more likely to get higher quality results.http://www.businessinsider.com/c/50b5302269bedd864d0000111234Tue, 27 Nov 2012 16:26:58 -0500http://www.businessinsider.com/c/50b5302269bedd864d000011
Over 95% of them are.http://www.businessinsider.com/c/50b52cc16bb3f7c06500000aJohnnyDerpTue, 27 Nov 2012 16:12:33 -0500http://www.businessinsider.com/c/50b52cc16bb3f7c06500000a
Citation needed.http://www.businessinsider.com/c/50b52352ecad04b376000008theCheeseTue, 27 Nov 2012 15:32:18 -0500http://www.businessinsider.com/c/50b52352ecad04b376000008
The article didn't say, are Finnish teachers unionized?http://www.businessinsider.com/c/50b521f169bedd142d000001hanrahanTue, 27 Nov 2012 15:26:25 -0500http://www.businessinsider.com/c/50b521f169bedd142d000001
JS- Have you ever considered the reason why Finland doesn't have "a large underclass that values failure" is because they have a education system that values every child?http://www.businessinsider.com/c/50b52162eab8eae65b000017FReEdOm LOvErTue, 27 Nov 2012 15:24:02 -0500http://www.businessinsider.com/c/50b52162eab8eae65b000017
All kids in one class, no matter their intelligence? Not a big difference between the weakest and strongest students? 30% of students in their first 9 years receive extra help? Sounds like a bunch of socialist-lovin, God-hatin LiBeRals.http://www.businessinsider.com/c/50b51e77eab8eaa258000013MHTue, 27 Nov 2012 15:11:35 -0500http://www.businessinsider.com/c/50b51e77eab8eaa258000013
Why would you just assume that the US is superior? Do you have any evidence to back that up?
The universities in Finland also rank among the best in the world. And what's more, education even at university level is completely free, for everyone. And the level of education is certainly not "out of date".
The "cross-country universal test" that you mentioned: look up the PISA test, in which Finland has consistently (for several years) ranked among the top five, and has usually come out on top.
It's funny to read these replies and realize how much Americans are in denial about the inferiority of their educational system. There's lots of excuses, but in the end the test results tell the truth. Since the Finnish system has been proved many times over to work well, why is the rest of the world so stubborn about adopting it?http://www.businessinsider.com/c/50b51c8a6bb3f7204d000002Alicia KayeTue, 27 Nov 2012 15:03:22 -0500http://www.businessinsider.com/c/50b51c8a6bb3f7204d000002
I have to laugh at those who think that Finland's ONLY technological advance is Nokia. The 2012 Global Innovation Index, clearly states that Finland is NUMBER 4 in the WORLD, while the US barely squeaks in at number 10. The true problem with Americans is we assume we are the biggest and best because we have the most money, spenf the most money and pretend no one could possibly beat us. Many countries do not depend on us for anything. Let alone our 'technological advances'. Just look at the differences in energy consumption and production of green energy throughout Europe and the initiatives they are given to produce their own energy sources to avoid overconsumption and dependency on crude oil and fossil fuels. We could learn a lot from Europe, not just how to pick, treat and use our educators.
<a href="http://www.wipo.int/pressroom/en/articles/2012/article_0014.html" target="_blank" rel="nofollow" >http://www.wipo.int/pressroom/en/articles/2012/article_0014.html</a>
1.Switzerland
2.Sweden
3.Singapore
4.Finland
5.United Kingdom
6.Netherlands
7.Denmark
8.Hong Kong (China)
9.Ireland
10. UShttp://www.businessinsider.com/c/50b51281eab8ea813d000009JakeTue, 27 Nov 2012 14:20:33 -0500http://www.businessinsider.com/c/50b51281eab8ea813d000009
If there is little differentiation between able and less able students, then where is the incentive for students to work hard and stand out? It sounds pointless...http://www.businessinsider.com/c/50b5123eeab8ea963b000002jasnoTue, 27 Nov 2012 14:19:26 -0500http://www.businessinsider.com/c/50b5123eeab8ea963b000002
I don't think it is as meaningful as one might wish to compare US and Finland, but maybe Finland to a high-stress, high-homework Asian system.
Is there such a thing as the Finnish "tiger mom"? Sounds like no. Yet amazingly, kids learn.http://www.businessinsider.com/c/50b51036ecad040c4f000012BubbaTue, 27 Nov 2012 14:10:46 -0500http://www.businessinsider.com/c/50b51036ecad040c4f000012
If you want details: from The Atlantic: <a href="http://www.theatlantic.com/national/archive/2011/12/what-americans-keep-ignoring-about-finlands-school-success/250564/" target="_blank" rel="nofollow" >http://www.theatlantic.com/national/archive/2011/12/what-americans-keep-ignoring-about-finlands-school-success/250564/</a>http://www.businessinsider.com/c/50b5088decad041546000013JenniferTue, 27 Nov 2012 13:38:06 -0500http://www.businessinsider.com/c/50b5088decad041546000013
Interesting...http://www.businessinsider.com/c/50b506deecad04cd3f000006ErinTue, 27 Nov 2012 13:30:54 -0500http://www.businessinsider.com/c/50b506deecad04cd3f000006
Their unions work directly with Minister of Education. They are powerful.
<a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/justin-snider/keys-to-finnish-education_b_836802.html" target="_blank" rel="nofollow" >http://www.huffingtonpost.com/justin-snider/keys-to-finnish-education_b_836802.html</a>http://www.businessinsider.com/c/50b506226bb3f7d022000002think againTue, 27 Nov 2012 13:27:46 -0500http://www.businessinsider.com/c/50b506226bb3f7d022000002
Wrong on your first point...over 95% of Finnish teachers are part of a very strong union. You may have been distracted at the time. See <a href="http://www.jsonline.com/news/education/134546558.html" target="_blank" rel="nofollow" >http://www.jsonline.com/news/education/134546558.html</a> and <a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/justin-snider/keys-to-finnish-education_b_836802.html" target="_blank" rel="nofollow" >http://www.huffingtonpost.com/justin-snider/keys-to-finnish-education_b_836802.html</a>.http://www.businessinsider.com/c/50b506086bb3f7bf1e000006ErinTue, 27 Nov 2012 13:27:20 -0500http://www.businessinsider.com/c/50b506086bb3f7bf1e000006
Ok, really???, find me one overpaid teacher. In your search what you will find are teachers who spend their own piddly salary to make up for supplies, food, etc that are lacking in their classrooms. What you'll find are people who love their jobs, but are terrified of losing them because they dare to teach critical thinking skills instead of "teaching to test". "Overpaid slobs"- I assume you home school then.
And why are kids dropped off at daycare? Because most employers don't give enough maternity/paternity leave. And those workers are paid $10/hr because in this society we do not value those that take care of children.http://www.businessinsider.com/c/50b5005069bedd0e4f000009TheRexicanTue, 27 Nov 2012 13:02:56 -0500http://www.businessinsider.com/c/50b5005069bedd0e4f000009
Actually, Finland has a large number of immigrants that speak foreign languages. As for standardized testing, the key take away is that they place little value on them and when they do get around to them it is pretty much at the end of the educational journey. Finally, your comment about Nokia misses the point. Finns are better at science and math but lack the real engine of American technological prowess, our research universities. It is worth noting that our best research schools tend to be seeing a shrinking number of American born students. If we educated like Finland, that would no longer be the case.
Still you think the test the ultimate arbiter of educational ability. You exemplify why we are stuck!http://www.businessinsider.com/c/50b4f9d4eab8eaf903000004Sonoran DesertTue, 27 Nov 2012 12:35:16 -0500http://www.businessinsider.com/c/50b4f9d4eab8eaf903000004
Oh nooo!! Not Finrand!http://www.businessinsider.com/c/50b4f6baeab8ea4b7a00000eJacksonTue, 27 Nov 2012 12:22:02 -0500http://www.businessinsider.com/c/50b4f6baeab8ea4b7a00000e
They have many Steve Jobs and Bill Gates. You just don't hear from them because of your anglo-american world view. In fact they have more Steve Jobs and Bill Gates: "66 percent of students go to college." from above.
Dude, don't you know Nokia or Angry Birds???
Think about that Finland is much smaller than the US. It's like David vs Goliath and still some Bush-Cheney cheerleader see their country in a disantvantage in every comparison. Funny or, because in every comparison that favours the US you claim the complete opposite.http://www.businessinsider.com/c/50b4f659ecad04092100000eProfessor HeissTue, 27 Nov 2012 12:20:25 -0500http://www.businessinsider.com/c/50b4f659ecad04092100000e
@junk science: Could not have said it better myself. Culture matter. That is not a right-wing, Republican idea. Read Senator Moynihan's earlier academic works -- I doubt that anyone would call him right-wing or (certainly) Republican.
In the US, we have a culture of failure amongst many minority groups, reinforced by a teachers union system that can't do anything but fail its students and education 'academics' who simply reinforce this culture of failure.
Yes, let the Finns come in and run schools in the inner cities of America -- I don't think they will succeed.http://www.businessinsider.com/c/50b4f4fc6bb3f7ba01000001Elephant in the roomTue, 27 Nov 2012 12:14:36 -0500http://www.businessinsider.com/c/50b4f4fc6bb3f7ba01000001
Americas education problem? Everyone here can name the causes but the #1 reason is the one most people leave out: Many American kids have awful parents. Out of wedlock childbearing, divorce, separation, absent or non-existent fathers, criminality, substance abuse, an anti-intellectual mindset, sports emphasized over academics, bad dietary habits, apathy and laziness - and on and on.
A child needs a loving, caring, involved mother and father. Committed to their marriage and their children. Remove that and you introduce failure into a child's life.
Chart the decline of the traditional family and it will mirror the decline of America's educational achievements.http://www.businessinsider.com/c/50b4f1816bb3f7627500002dDCTue, 27 Nov 2012 11:59:45 -0500http://www.businessinsider.com/c/50b4f1816bb3f7627500002d
The country that gave us Darude must be doing something right. The man created a masterpiece.http://www.businessinsider.com/c/50b4ecf36bb3f7ca70000005mikej77Tue, 27 Nov 2012 11:40:19 -0500http://www.businessinsider.com/c/50b4ecf36bb3f7ca70000005
Tiny micro-societies like Iceland, Finland, Greece, Cayman Islands and many are interesting but so small that they are not really significant. If Finland had 500 million people we would all be speaking Finnish perhaps with results like this, perhaps.
It is the same as suggesting Greece or Sardinia might take down the Global Financial System, not even absurd.
Toss out the teachers unions in half the US cities and let us see the results over a few years.
We can hardly get poorer results than currently.http://www.businessinsider.com/c/50b4ec5169bedda51e00000dBackwardsTue, 27 Nov 2012 11:37:37 -0500http://www.businessinsider.com/c/50b4ec5169bedda51e00000d
Their teachers aren't paid like doctors and lawyers. Their doctors and lawyers are paid like teachers. When you have a large amount of your youth that are well educated and prepared for college and they all get a free education and living expenses, you decrease the barriers of entry into medicine and law. Decreased barriers of entry means a larger supply of medical and law practicioners and that means that they cannot charge as much/ make as much as in the U.S.http://www.businessinsider.com/c/50b4eba4ecad04db0c000011jkirkTue, 27 Nov 2012 11:34:44 -0500http://www.businessinsider.com/c/50b4eba4ecad04db0c000011
Sorry, two parents, both living in the same house, married and helping their kids on a daily basis. Is that specific enough for you?http://www.businessinsider.com/c/50b4eab3eab8eabd5f000003goosh69Tue, 27 Nov 2012 11:30:43 -0500http://www.businessinsider.com/c/50b4eab3eab8eabd5f000003
"Almost all families have two parents."
But unmarried cohabitation and gay marriage are far more common than in the US.http://www.businessinsider.com/c/50b4eaa5ecad04dc0c000003rTue, 27 Nov 2012 11:30:29 -0500http://www.businessinsider.com/c/50b4eaa5ecad04dc0c000003
The world should adopt Finland system.
The current education style in many countries especially in China is killing humanity. It teaches kids to compete to kill one another in the early stage of life. Learning should be burden free so all kids can concentrate in learning something instead of hating and out-compete one another envy one another. The Finland model is for creating a better human society.http://www.businessinsider.com/c/50b4ea7b6bb3f7266800002emikej77Tue, 27 Nov 2012 11:29:47 -0500http://www.businessinsider.com/c/50b4ea7b6bb3f7266800002e
move this jkirk to the Boardroomhttp://www.businessinsider.com/c/50b4ea1decad04b70a00000cgoosh69Tue, 27 Nov 2012 11:28:13 -0500http://www.businessinsider.com/c/50b4ea1decad04b70a00000c
Uggghhh, you fools do not read the last slide. Read the last slide! Norway scores like the US!http://www.businessinsider.com/c/50b4e9d9ecad04e10a000001mikej77Tue, 27 Nov 2012 11:27:05 -0500http://www.businessinsider.com/c/50b4e9d9ecad04e10a000001
We are moving to an online model for education that will cast out the bottom 60% of teachers easily making it possible to pay the better ones more while cutting costs per student dramatically and cutting brick and mortar schools selling off the redundant property holdings for use as something other that vacant land.
See Khan Academyhttp://www.businessinsider.com/c/50b4e6f16bb3f7936300000fParadiseTue, 27 Nov 2012 11:14:41 -0500http://www.businessinsider.com/c/50b4e6f16bb3f7936300000f
How many people from your family have landed on the moon?http://www.businessinsider.com/c/50b4e554ecad04437e000013jkirkTue, 27 Nov 2012 11:07:48 -0500http://www.businessinsider.com/c/50b4e554ecad04437e000013
I went to grade school in Finland for three years. 1. No unions. 2. Almost all families have two parents. 3. The girls are way hotter-way hotter!http://www.businessinsider.com/c/50b4e31a69bedd3907000008retireabroadTue, 27 Nov 2012 10:58:18 -0500http://www.businessinsider.com/c/50b4e31a69bedd3907000008
Having attended a German gymnasium and an American high school, I can say that this approach would not work on a populace unwilling to embrace discipline and hard work. Most Americans are so afraid of failure and rejection that they would pursue all other paths but a truly challenging system that would bring the best out of students. Also, Finland has a smaller population than Massachusetts.http://www.businessinsider.com/c/50b4df6169bedd7479000007StevexTue, 27 Nov 2012 10:42:25 -0500http://www.businessinsider.com/c/50b4df6169bedd7479000007
They also don't have to subsidize illegal immigrants education and healthcare.
They are strict with immigration and their leaders care about their nation and culture.
Can't say the same for the good ol' US of A.http://www.businessinsider.com/c/50b4dd0469beddd37600000bNoSingleOneTue, 27 Nov 2012 10:32:20 -0500http://www.businessinsider.com/c/50b4dd0469beddd37600000b
My best learning is done at my own pace, on my own schedule, and directed by my own interests and experiences.
Rote formulaic learning in classrooms might work for some people, but people seem to do best when their time is not so structured, and there are smart people around to explain things when they run into a wall.http://www.businessinsider.com/c/50b4dc666bb3f7ce4d00000freally???Tue, 27 Nov 2012 10:29:42 -0500http://www.businessinsider.com/c/50b4dc666bb3f7ce4d00000f
TWO REASONS: 1. The teachers are MUCH MORE prepared to teach and do with passion, unlike our overpaid slobs.
2. The children are actually raised by their parents, unlike here in America where 6 mo olds are dropped off at daycare and raised by a stranger getting paid- what $10/hr?http://www.businessinsider.com/c/50b4d90169bedd656d000019durfTue, 27 Nov 2012 10:15:13 -0500http://www.businessinsider.com/c/50b4d90169bedd656d000019
I think the biggest reason for Finland's domination is that their teachers are paid like doctors and lawyers. Incentives, baby.http://www.businessinsider.com/c/50b4d4966bb3f7a33e00000fAgMgrTue, 27 Nov 2012 09:56:22 -0500http://www.businessinsider.com/c/50b4d4966bb3f7a33e00000f
The success numbers in the US are about the same if you counted only the kids from caucasion college educated parents. Elephant in the room!http://www.businessinsider.com/c/50b4d406ecad04565f000015unionrepTue, 27 Nov 2012 09:53:58 -0500http://www.businessinsider.com/c/50b4d406ecad04565f000015
Do they have awesome, all-powerful unions that protect inept teachers from getting fired and morally corrupt ones when they fondle students? I sure hope so or it's a lousy system!http://www.businessinsider.com/c/50b4d368ecad043a5b000020hammermanTue, 27 Nov 2012 09:51:20 -0500http://www.businessinsider.com/c/50b4d368ecad043a5b000020
Hmm Broad stats...nothing more.
1) Doesnt account for the language, culture and religion barriers that exist in America.
2) So why not make a meaningful compassion. Not all high schools, colleges are created equal. Finland’s standardized test? How does this line up with the ACT/SAT???
3) Considering Nokia is the only corporate giants in Finland I would say they need to teach better technology or business skills to the “college” grads.
I know a lady who had a Doctorate and was practicing medicine in Lithuania. When she came here for better work her degree/practicing of medicine was void in the US because there was conflicting religion back information and out dated science backing most of her knowledge. Without some sort of cross country universal test, I doubt these Finish kids are more than adults with teenage knowledge.http://www.businessinsider.com/c/50b4d2e4ecad04885f000001rjb_bostonTue, 27 Nov 2012 09:49:08 -0500http://www.businessinsider.com/c/50b4d2e4ecad04885f000001
faulty argument. raw materials matter but if you leave out the inner city schools the finnish system still outperforms by a large margin and Norway which is similar in raw materials (as you put it) to finland yet follows the US system scores similarly to the US.http://www.businessinsider.com/c/50b4d206ecad04f75a00000cJim STue, 27 Nov 2012 09:45:26 -0500http://www.businessinsider.com/c/50b4d206ecad04f75a00000c
"finland does not have a large underclass"
Did you stop and think why? The better your education system for ALL students, the smaller the numbers of unemployable dropouts.
Note that Finland has had consistent success for a long time. One of the reasons why, is that if you show one generation how education helps them, then they will make sure their kids are educated too. Worldwide, a key reason for educational failure is parents who don't care.http://www.businessinsider.com/c/50b4d12769beddee58000015ilaTue, 27 Nov 2012 09:41:43 -0500http://www.businessinsider.com/c/50b4d12769beddee58000015
Those who chalk up Finland's success to Scandinavian values and genetics should re-read the last slide: Norway gets results more-or-less similar to the US.
On the other hand, the reason Finnish schools can get the top talent so easily is because careers like medicine and law pay relatively much less than in the US. If our schools had to compete with medicine, law, and finance for the top talent, teachers would need to be paid much more.
See: <a href="http://www.medicalindependent.ie/page.aspx?title=over_the_finnish_line" target="_blank" rel="nofollow" >http://www.medicalindependent.ie/page.aspx?title=over_the_finnish_line</a>http://www.businessinsider.com/c/50b4cef7eab8ea1d1f000008Mike MatheaTue, 27 Nov 2012 09:32:23 -0500http://www.businessinsider.com/c/50b4cef7eab8ea1d1f000008
Points one and two are the key changes that can be implemented quickly. That means most off the students in Educational schools must find another occupation and most Education classes must be eliminated.
In the U.S. when we talk about Masters Degrees for educators it means more Education degrees. In Finland a teacher has a bachelor's and Masters degree in a subject not in education.
We in America have lost sight of the fact that children know when a teacher does not know the material they are teaching. We somehow think minimum understanding of the subject matter and maximum understanding of educational theory is the proper way for our Universities to educate primary and secondary teachers.http://www.businessinsider.com/c/50b4cebd69beddf24f000011GubblebumTue, 27 Nov 2012 09:31:25 -0500http://www.businessinsider.com/c/50b4cebd69beddf24f000011
While thought provoking, almost none of these are actually "student-focused" initiatives. Most studies have debunked the notion that masters degrees for teachers and more money for the classroom have a tangible impact on student performance.
...reading this article, one would conclude that the best way to improve education is by:
a) not bothering to start until much later (despite most evidence that early childhood education is critical)
b) spend large portions of the day not in instruction (despite most evidence that says instructional time is critical)
...to me this article does point out that educational systems need to be developed around the culture itself. So, more power to the Finns that this system works for them.
However, I bet that implementing a US system would improve their schools further, but implementing a finnish system in US would harm US schools.http://www.businessinsider.com/c/50b4c94aeab8ea980e000020BuckTue, 27 Nov 2012 09:08:10 -0500http://www.businessinsider.com/c/50b4c94aeab8ea980e000020
Also overlooks one of the common features of successful educational systems v. the US: homogenous cultures v. fragmented culture. Educating a fractured culture, like the US, where a large fraction of the children live in homes that do not culturally value education is very difficult. Southern border states have a common problem where many students don't even show up for the first couple weeks of class because they are with family in Mexico (an observation from my wife's time as a high school teacher, so I'm not making it up or relying on rumor).
Unified cultures all pull in one direction. Unified cultures that value education, like Finland, can have a great education system at a reasonable cost.
That does not mean that setting up a Finnish system in Texas, for instance, would make any improvement whatsoever. Doesn't mean it wouldn't, either.http://www.businessinsider.com/c/50b4c86beab8ea930e00000fWinnieTue, 27 Nov 2012 09:04:27 -0500http://www.businessinsider.com/c/50b4c86beab8ea930e00000f
Correct.
Also, how many Nobel prize winners have the finns produced? How many Steve Jobs, Bill Gates, innovative products, how many Finns have landed on the moon?http://www.businessinsider.com/c/50b4c783eab8ea5911000003junk scienceTue, 27 Nov 2012 09:00:35 -0500http://www.businessinsider.com/c/50b4c783eab8ea5911000003
raw materials matter:finland does not have a large underclass that values failure
i challenge the finns to try running a high school in the worst parts of chicago or LA
or maybe a central california school that is attended mostly by the kids of farm workers who themselves are barely literate even in spanish
let me know how it goeshttp://www.businessinsider.com/c/50b4c71b69bedd003f000005PaulCTue, 27 Nov 2012 08:58:51 -0500http://www.businessinsider.com/c/50b4c71b69bedd003f000005
1) Pick your teachers from the top end of the pool.
2) Extensive training in both subject matter and teaching skills
3) small classroom sizes.
4) treat teachers with respect instead of demonizing them.
5) and what it does not say but probably most important, parents who actually care and push there kids to learn.http://www.businessinsider.com/c/50b4c4beecad04df40000013adegiulioTue, 27 Nov 2012 08:48:46 -0500http://www.businessinsider.com/c/50b4c4beecad04df40000013
Interesting concept, but this article doesn't actually say how they do it. It just gives some statistics and broad outlines.